Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting

Overview

Study the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting to develop the technical, analytical, and creative skills needed for a successful career. Gain skills that help individuals and organisations understand how to use money and resources to the best of their advantage. This qualification builds on the Graduate Certificate, with a deeper dive into company reporting, managerial and financial accounting, and financial management.

Aims and objectives

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting course is designed for students who wish to obtain advanced knowledge and research skills in accounting and related areas of business. Students will learn to apply advanced conceptual and practical accounting knowledge as the course develops the various technical, practical, analytical and creative skills necessary to support professional and highly skilled work in the areas of accounting and finance. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting allows articulation into the Master of Professional Accounting.

At completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, graduates should be able to:

• apply coherent and advanced knowledge of accounting and business concepts in diverse contexts and applications using critical thinking
• apply problem solving, design and decision making methodologies to identify and provide innovative solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence
• communicate proficiently in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a team
• demonstrate integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, respect and a broad awareness of professional practices and cultural norms in a global and sustainable contex
• apply accounting and business fundamentals to the analysis, design and operation of a business model using appropriate accounting and business methods and tools
• reflect on and take responsibility for their own learning and self-management processes, and develop skills to review, reflect on and plan to improve their professional performance. 

Career opportunities

The suite of accounting courses provides an avenue for graduates to achieve professional recognition and help fill the shortage of professionally recognised accountants. As many candidates may already be established in a business career, the key vocational outcomes may arise from better current job performance together with new opportunities opening in the accounting and finance areas.

Professional recognition

Graduates who hold an accounting qualification from a recognised overseas university or equivalent, upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, may be eligible to apply for Associate membership of CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting is 50 credit points (normally four units)